Are Your Batting Mechanics Hurting Your Back?

In this week’s video, I show you one way to prevent or reduce back pain caused during batting practice. In the videos below, I show you the corresponding exercises that I refer to. As a reminder to coaches, I am NOT challenging contemporary batting style and instruction. I am upgrading your eye to identify efficient or inefficient movement to keep your athletes durable.

I never recommend “coaching from Google Images”, but these are the best examples I could find to show you the difference between efficient and inefficient follow through mechanics. I threw on some lines so you can see the difference between energy leakage (softball player) and optimal energy transmission and core stabilization (baseball players). Two key areas of focus: the baseball players’ pelvis are squared up to the pitcher by the follow through phase, her pelvis is square to the second baseman. This would be okay if she was driving the ball to right field, except you can tell by 1) how much her upper body has rotated and 2) how much her weight has shifted into (and out of) her left hip that this is pull swing. Second area of focus: the baseball players do not extend (bend backwards) through their spine. Look at the numbers on their jerseys, no creases.

About the author

Joe Bonyai

Joe Bonyai is a strength and conditioning specialist and co-founder of Fastpitch Power. Joe operates Empower Athletic Development, a speed, strength and conditioning business for competitive athletes in Westchester, NY. Joe also authors a multi-sport training blog at www.Empower-ADE.com. Feel free to connect with Joe through Facebook at www.facebook.com/JJBonyai.

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